


apophenia

by EvilMuffins



Category: Dangan Ronpa, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different Mastermind (Dangan Ronpa), F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-01 15:26:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12707706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvilMuffins/pseuds/EvilMuffins
Summary: There were meant to be two survivors from the very start, after all.---Kaede's motive video contains something that she never expected.





	apophenia

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yamadori](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yamadori/gifts).



_They’re all going to look anyway…_

The idea sang in Kaede’s head, as she stared up at the ceiling, ambient noise playing low and soft, a running current beneath her other thoughts like elevator music played during a conversation.

Kaede had never been very good at filtering out the siren call of music.

 _They’re all going to watch anyway_ …

Everyone was going to watch the motive videos, even if they had all agreed not to. As it was, Kaede already knew that Saihara had Momota’s, he had confided in her as much. So who might have been given her own video? Surely it featured her mother and father; while Kaede had had friends at school, she had always been too focused on piano to have become exceptionally close with any of them. The videos were most likely only staged anyway, she had decided (although Saihara had voiced his doubts), and once everyone escaped from the school, they would all reunite with their loved ones as if nothing ever happened.

Everyone with the exception of Amami and Shirogane, Kaede reminded herself, a pang of regret settling into her gut. If only Amami had trusted in her and Saihara enough to confide his own plan in them, the three of might have worked together… but it was too late that for now. They had to keep moving forward, _I have to keep moving forward,_ Kaede reminded herself, sliding out from under the covers, _for everyone’s sake._

The silence in the dorm room was eerie, ringing in Kaede’s ears, as she padded over to where the Monokumarz Pad lay on her table. She had thought about putting it away in the closet or the drawer of her desk, however she hadn’t yet gotten to it amidst the rest of the chaos. In her own room back home, Kaede would set instrumentals to play all night long, a soundtrack to her dreams. However, the silence hanging over this unfamiliar room would only stretch on for a few more nights, and then they would all be free. She was sure of it.

Fingers shaking, Kaede pressed 'play'.

 _‘Saihara Shuuichi, Super High school Level Detective’ ,_ the screen announced as it lit up. Kaede watched transfixed as images flashed by of a strange man, crying in a courtroom.

“Poor, poor Uncle Saihara, falsely accused of a crime he had foolishly tried to solve!” Monokuma narrated gleefully. “If only there were another detective in life to absolve him! _Upupupu!”_

Kaede gasped as the video of Saihara’s uncle finished, taking momentary delight in validation, in the notion that she had been right to watch the video. Of course it was terrible for the mastermind to fabricate such a cruel story, but even so, she would need to show it to Saihara come morning so he could rest in the fact that someone less trustworthy hadn't gotten hold of his motive.

Climbing back into bed, Kaede slept soundly for the rest of the night, the worries in her head taking an intermission for the time being.

 

 

_No matter how hard you lie to yourself, willing the video to feature someone else’s motive isn’t going to make it true._

The idea sang in Kaede’s head as she stared up at the ceiling, ambient noise playing low and soft, a running current beneath her other thoughts like elevator music played during a conversation.

 _‘Akamatsu Kaede, Super Highschool Level Pianist’ ,_ the screen had read.

“She had loving parents who would attend each and every recital!” Monokuma announced while a clip played of Kaede’s mother and father smiling in auditorium seats. “It is, however, my unfortunate duty to inform you…that they are completely safe! And why, you ask? Because Akamatsu herself helped to plan this entire killing game! She is the mastermind!”

Each word stabbed between her ears in quick succession, a staccato matching the quickening pace of her heartbeat.

 _Calm down_ , she told herself, _the videos have to be a lie._ However, these thoughts did little to drown out cacophony of memories that came rushing back to her.

“ _Since I’m not one to believe in others, if I want this killing game to run smoothly... I’ll have to do it myself!”_

Her words spoken during the interview echoed in her head.

* * *

 

“Akamatsu-san?”

“Oh, Saihara-kun,” Kaede stopped short on her way to the dining hall, nearly colliding with Saihara. “I almost didn’t see you there.”

Saihara shook his head, causing the bill of his hat to shift downward, obscuring his face more than usual. “Don’t worry about. Everyone’s a little on edge after being given those motive videos. I was just getting a little worried about you since you’re usually one of the first to breakfast. Are…are you doing alright?”

“Sure I am,” Kaede lied, pumping a fist as if her grip on thin air could stop another friend from slipping away from them. “We all have to get through this together, or else Amami-kun and Shirogane-san’s deaths will be meaningless, right?”

Years of smiling in front of the mirror before recitals came to good use as she took Saihara by the hand, unbothered by the slight clamminess due to his ever-present nerves. It stood as proof that he was still alive, at the very least, as Kaede lead their way into the dining hall.

The initial fervor from the other day surrounding the videos had died down for the time being, the group settling into little pockets of more subdued conversation as they ate.

“Akamatsu-san,” Saihara asked, standing with his plate. “Can I get you anything else while I’m up?”

“Look at you,” Kaede teased over top her cup, the pale tea within it sloshing up the sides, wistful for escape. “When we first got here, you told me that you never eat breakfast back home, but now you’re going in for seconds!”

“I, er-“ Saihara sputtered, fork clanking against his plate, all but proving Kaede’s suspicion that he had only gotten up for her sake.

“Saihara-san,” interrupted Toujou, upon emerging from the kitchen. “Please allow me to get whatever it is that you need.”

At a loss, Saihara looked to Kaede as he sank back down into his seat.

“He could really use another glass of orange juice,” Kaede offered.

“Of course. I’m happy to oblige.” Toujou smiled warmly before disappearing into the kitchen once again.

To think that there were people in the world so eager to help others, Kaede mused.

She had volunteered to play the Mastermind because she had lost all faith in others, so much so that even simply being apart of the killing game wouldn’t have been enough. The Kaede Akamatsu who had existed prior to waking up in the locker had been so devoid of any trust that pulling the strings had been the ultimate dream for her, believing that no one else could ever possibly come close to running the game properly. Why, another Mastermind may have even chosen the wrong characters to have killed!

Reaching under the table, Kaede found Saihara’s hand, gently guiding it away from where it rested on his thigh, fingers bunched into the fabric of his pants, to lace with her own between their chairs.

There were meant to be two survivors from the very start, after all.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> https://evil-muffins.tumblr.com/


End file.
